Find out how popular the last name Gama is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Gama.

Gama, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Gama surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gama in America

Gama is the 7383rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gama surname appeared 4,513 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Gama.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gama to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Gama

The surname GAMA has its origins in Portugal, where it first emerged during the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Portuguese word "gama," which means a deer's antler or the branch of a plant. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a wooded area or had a connection to hunting or forestry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GAMA surname can be found in the historical records of the Portuguese town of Sines, dating back to the 14th century. These records mention a family by the name of GAMA residing in the area, indicating that the name had already established itself in the region by that time.

During the Age of Discovery, the GAMA name gained significant prominence with the exploits of the famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da GAMA. Born in Sines around 1460, Vasco da GAMA led the first successful maritime voyage from Europe to India in 1497-1499, establishing a new trade route and paving the way for Portuguese colonization in the Indian Ocean region.

Another notable figure with the GAMA surname was Pedro Álvares CABRAL, a Portuguese explorer born in 1467. CABRAL is credited with discovering Brazil in 1500, while leading an expedition to India following the route discovered by Vasco da GAMA.

In the realm of literature, João Baptista da GAMA (1592-1636) was a renowned Portuguese poet and writer, best known for his epic poem "O Uraguai," which celebrated the beauty of the Americas and condemned the mistreatment of indigenous peoples by European colonizers.

Across the Atlantic, the GAMA name also found its way to the Americas, where it took root among Portuguese settlers and their descendants. One such individual was José Joaquim da GAMA (1806-1875), a Brazilian politician and journalist who played a significant role in the country's transition from a monarchy to a republic.

Throughout history, the GAMA surname has been associated with various spellings and variations, such as GAMA, GAMAS, GAMEZ, and GAMMAS, reflecting the linguistic and cultural diversity of the regions where it has been present. While its origins can be traced back to Portugal, the GAMA name has since spread across the globe, carried by explorers, settlers, and immigrants, leaving an indelible mark on the tapestry of human history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gama

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Gama.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Gama was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Gama has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Gama was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gama, please contact us.

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